of brooklyn



UNITED STATES PATENTv OFFICE.

R. J. MANN, OF BROOKLYN, NEXV YORK, ASSIGNOR TO L. A. OSBORN, OF NE\VARK, NEV JERSEY, AND I. J. VINCENT, OF NEV YORK, N. Y.

SKIRT-HOOP.

Specification of Letters Patent No. 20,681, dated .Tune 22, 1858.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, R. J. MANN, of Brooklyn, in the county of Kings and State of New York, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Ladies Hooped Skirts; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description of the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming part of these specifications, in which- Figure l represents a perspective side view of a ladys hoope'd skirt, made on my improved plan, with the corrugated bustle a, a, attached. Fig. 2, is a perspective view of a section of the hoop CZ, and perpendicular supporting strap Z), and also showing the manner in which the said hoop is made fast to the strap o. Fig. 8, is an inside view of Fig. 2, showing the manner in which the teeth of the said clamp f, Fig. 7, penetrates the strap o, and clenches over the hoop cl, and holding the same in a firm position. Fig. 4, is a plan view of the corrugated bustle attached to the hoop, by means of the clamps Fig. 6, and making part of the same. Fig. 5, is a perspective view of the front strap le, showing the manner in which the hoop CZ, is held in position by means of the eyelets e, e. Figs. 6, 7, and 8, are full size perspective views of the clamps, the said clamps being with teeth f, f, or without, as seen at Fig. 6. Fig. 9, is a perspective view of my improved slide the said slide being made in one piece, and divided in the middle, and the edges bent in opposite directions as seen at g, g.

The nature of my improvement consists in making skirts for ladies by forming a series of hoops placed at stated distances, and made in such manner that they can be enlarged or diminished by means of slides, and also the peculiar manner of fastening the said hoops, to the perpendicular straps, by means of a small clamp, the said clamp, being made with teeth or otherwise; and also forming on the two top hoops (next to the waist band) an eXtra spring or hoop, after the manner of a corrugated surface, the said corrugation fitting in the plaits or folds of the dress, thus presenting an agreeable effect, and affording an extension of the crinoline so desirable in such costumes.

To enable others skilled in the art to make and use my invention, I will proceed to describe its construction and operation.

It will be seen that having made fast the perpendicular straps h, it, 71., to the waistband z', by means of eyelets on sewing, and the hoops being stretched overa frame similar in shape to the skirt, when the straps and waist-band are put on the said frame, the straps being brought down over the hoops, it is now only necessary to press the teeth of the clamp through the said strap and clench the same on the inside as seen at Fig. 3, to secure the hoop firmly in its place. By this manner of fastening the hoop, half the time is saved that would be occupied in sewing the hoops to the straps. There is, it will also be seen, a peculiar construction of the bustle, by attaching an extra hoop el, cZ, to the circular hoop and making it fast thereto at stated distances by means of the clamps Fig. 6, the said eXtra hoop presenting a corrugated effect as seen at Fig. 4; these semicircular projections strengthen and prevent the hoop from being compressed from the waist of the dress, and also afford a light and graceful support to the same in the direction desired.

7c, Fig. 5, shows the manner in which the slide g, g, is made fast to the hoop CZ, d, the said hoop being covered by weaving cotton yarn around it, the cloth so formed is pulled slightly over the end, when the slide g, Fig. 9, is compressed on the same, thus completely covering the said end and protecting the same. Now the end of the hoops are brought past each other, and the remaining part of the side is clenched in such manner, as to allow the diameter of the said hoop to be increased or diminished as desired.

I do not claim as new the expansion of the hoops in ladies skirts, for that is not new. But- What I claim as my invention and'desire to secure by Letters Patent, is,

l. The peculiar formation of the slide g, Fig. 9, the said slide being made of brass or other metals, and having its sides bent two- Ways, the one clasping the end of the hoop, projection c, a, on the upper hoops on the and made fast thereto, and the other end back of the skirt in the manner and for the made to slide freely on the hoop. purpose above set forth.

2. Securing the hoop al, to the perpendicu- ROBERT J. MANN. 5 lar straps7 by means of small clamps con- Witnesses:

structed as herein described. L. YV. MCFARLAND,

3. The formation of a bustle or corrugated S. N. BEIRCE. 

